"God has provided that strangers coming from a distance should bring letters of commendation from the gathered saints where they are located, and we find the early Christians did so. (Acts 18:2727And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: (Acts 18:27). Rom. 16:11I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: (Romans 16:1); 2 Cor. 3:11Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? (2 Corinthians 3:1); Col. 4:1010Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;) (Colossians 4:10); 3 John 99I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. (3 John 9).) ( J. N. D.) 'They tend to promote confidence at once on both sides, and fellowship, and they become valuable as a safe way of distinguishing the true from the false; and especially are they useful in these days for we are not all discerners of spirits; and remember we are told to 'try the spirits'." (G. P.)
"It is plain that there was then, as now, the practice of giving and receiving letters in commending stranger brethren to the assemblies. And a valuable means of introduction as well as guard it is, provided we hold it in spirit and not in letter; otherwise we might fail doubly, in refusing those who ought to be received, where circumstances have hindered the requisite voucher, and in receiving those who, being deceivers, can supply themselves with any letter which may the more effectually mislead. The aim of all such provisions is to afford adequate testimony to the assembly of God, which is in no way bound to a form however excellent." (W. K.)